Fire Emblem: The Fallen Kingdom
by Lucias Falkner
Summary: The kingdom of Irinia has hid its dark history well for decades. When the youngest princess, Alyss, leaves, however, that history will be uncovered, and chaos will descend upon the world. Every little decision counts, and Alyss must fight her own convictions in order to lead the world against her own brother, who has been consumed by the dark history that plagues Irinia.
1. Prologue: Departure

**Prologue: Departure**

 _There comes a time in everyone's life when a decision must be made. Whether or not that decision will negatively impact you or others is all up to you. The decision may go against everything you've known, but you must do your best to not let your convictions get in the way. You know what the answer is. It's right in front of you. So make the decision. Will you rule? Or will you submit?_

Alyss hurried down the grand steps leading up to the Irinian Royal Academy of Magic, nearly tripping several times in her rush. Word had gotten around that a healer in service to throne had decided to abandon her position on the clergy, and citizens from all over the capital city had rushed to see the event.

As Alyss neared the bottom of the staircase, she finally lost her footing and tumbled down the last couple of steps, losing hold of her various books and sending them flying. When she recovered, she groaned in frustration to see that her various notes and markers as well as a few pages from each book had been torn out in the process. She quickly gathered everything up, not bothering to organize them as she continued her sprint towards the castle.

"Oh gods... I'm late...!" she panted, debating ditching the books. "Uncle will be furious..."

Luckily for her, she managed to make it to the castle steps with enough time and took a moment to rest. She spent the time to reorganize her notes and markers, but doing so made her lose track of time yet again as her focus had completely shifted to another task. After some time had passed, a royal guard rushed up to her and took the books, not bothering to wait for her permission.

"Go!" the guard urged. "They're waiting!"

Alyss let out something of a squeak and dashed up the steps to the castle. Upon reaching the grand building, she weaved her way through the halls, not bothering to stop for any guards. It didn't take long to reach the throne room, whereupon reaching it, she threw open the doors and strode in as calmly as she could manage. Of course, every head in the room turned to her, an irritated glare in their eyes. She strode down the long carpet leading to the thrones until the man standing in the center, the King Regent, Rathis, called out to her.

" _Alyss!"_ the King demanded. "You're _late!_ "

Alyss winced, the King's booming voice still getting to her. She picked up her pace and took a place by one of the women to the right of the King. Four people aside from Alyss also stood next to Rathis, with two men on his left. The woman closest to Alyss spoke softly to her, her tone firm but not cruel.

"I know that you're busy, Alyss," the woman commented, "but this is by no means an uncommon occurrence. Uncle is already frustrated that you neglect even your basic duties, but..."

Alyss glanced at the ground. "I know, Agnes... But I-"

Her words were halted when Rathis called for the beginning of the ceremony. "Bring in the healer!"

The guards by the door nodded and opened to doors once more, taking a position that kept them open as more guards from further down the hallway escorted a woman to the room. As they rounded the corner and began the slow progression down the long walkway towards the throne, Alyss's eyes widened when she saw who was being escorted.

The woman standing between the guards was one in her early thirties, with silver blonde hair that was cropped somewhat short aside from two twin tails at the sides that hung over her shoulders. Her indifferent eyes gazed over the high collar of her healer's robes. The wide skirt left her plenty of room to match the pace of the guards, and when she saw Alyss standing among the gathered, her eyes flicked to the ground, seemingly unable to meet hers.

Agnes glanced at her sister, and, upon seeing the dejected look on the young girl's face, she took hold of Alyss's hand and gave it a comforting squeeze.

The king raised an arm to bring the focus back to himself and the healer that now stood before him, kneeling. After a moment of staring, he nodded to the woman. "Stand, Erinn."

The healer did, her formerly hard gaze struggling to meet that of the king's. Even Rathis couldn't help but glance at Alyss to see how his niece was holding up. It was common knowledge among both the clergy and the royal family that Alyss had grown exceptionally close to the healer, so it wasn't hard to imagine how hard this was on the princess.

After a brief moment of silence, Rathis continued. "Erinn, healer of the Church and servant to the royal family, it seems that you have requested an early retirement and chosen to abandon your position. On what grounds do you request this?"

Erinn swallowed and met the King's eyes, doing her best to hide her hesitation. "I wish to serve the people in my own way, a way that I will not be able to do in my current position."

Rathis stared at her, pondering this. He found no viable reason to deny this of her, and, despite his wishes to do otherwise, he let out a silent sigh and motioned for her to join him. "Come forth, then, healer. Allow me to see you well one last time."

Erinn bowed,ascended the steps towards the throne and began to kneel, but Rathis stopped her. "Don't be silly, Erinn. Stand." She did, confused, until he rested a hand on her shoulder with a kind smile on his face. "I hereby relieve you of your duties to both the church and the royal family. You are free to live your life as you wish." He removed his hand from Erinn's shoulder, and just before she turned to leave, he smiled at her one last time. "Take care of yourself, Erinn. You will always be welcome in the castle."

Erinn gave the king a sad smile before turning to leave. Alyss did her best to fight back tears as the healer slowly walked down the carpet path once more. The princess wanted to stop her, to convince her to stay, but if there was thing that Alyss knew for absolute certain about the healer, it was that she was more stubborn than even her thick-headed older brothers. Just as Erinn reached the doors to make her exit, Alyss hurried down the steps and stood there, panic in her eyes. The entirety of the royal family stared in confused silence until the princess finally called out.

"Erinn! _Wait!"_ The healer stopped and turned, giving Alyss a sad smile.

Rathis started down the steps, hoping to control his niece before she made anymore of a scene. "Alyss, it's done. There's nothing you can-"

She turned to the king with a determined look on her face. Rathis stopped, surprised.

"Then I shall go with her," Alyss declared, eliciting a gasp from everyone in the throne room. Erinn said nothing, but Alyss's brothers and sisters surrounded her, their attempts to figure out what had brought this on being lost in the incoherent jumble of voices that now filled the room. Rathis let out a yell to silence them all, and Alyss's siblings stepped aside to let him approach his niece. As he did, Alyss met his gaze, doing her best to look as sure of herself as she possibly could.

"Alyss," he began, his voice failing to hide his worry. "Surely you can't be serious? You're still a princess, and you have a very bright future ahead of you at the academy. You would truly abandon it all?"

Alyss nodded, her eyes meeting his. "I would. I'm the youngest of five, Uncle. I will never hold power, and staying where I am will just bound me to my research, and I do not wish to do that. Aside from that, I cannot allow Erinn to go alone, nor do I wish to see her off so soon. Should she say so, I would go with her."

Rathis let out a heavy sigh and looked over the girl and towards Erinn. The healer nodded her permission, further exasperating the king. He fell silent as he pondered this decision, and Alyss's oldest brother as well as the oldest of the siblings, Kylen, stepped forward. "Alyss... This is a very large decision to make at your age. You've yet to even reach adulthood, and you would give up the life of a noble to become a traveler, struggling to make a living?"

Alyss nodded again. "I would. Besides, my magic will better help the innocent out there where I can do so directly than if I stayed here and merely continued my research."

Agnes gave her a worried look, but seeing the girl's conviction, stepped back. Kylen gave her a surprised look, but another glance at Alyss's face told him that it was probably best, and did the same. The other two siblings soon followed suit, leaving Alyss and Rathis to themselves. Finally, after a couple of minutes of further silence, he took a deep breath and nodded to Alyss. "... Very well, Alyss. You may go."

Alyss's eyes brightened, and she thanked her uncle repeatedly until he held up his hand to silence her. "Just never forget who you are or your place here. Your parents would never rest well if you were to die by this decision, but before you leave, I have a gift for you. I'd meant to give it to you when you graduated, but now seems as good a time as any." He turned to a guard and ordered him to retrieve the item from his quarters. The guard returned a few moments later with a smaller, red tome bearing the royal crest surrounded in flame. Rathis handed it to Alyss and smiled. "This is the product of your current research: the Fire tome, Ignis. It is yours, Alyss, and it exists only because of you. Use it well, and please, live a good life."

Alyss fought back tears as she stared at the book. She soon threw her arms around her uncle, losing all composure. Once she let go, she gave each of her siblings their hug and goodbye before running to join Erinn, who gave the princess yet another comforting hug. With one last universal goodbye, the two departed the throne room and left for the castle entrance. There, they found countless people waiting on either side of the castle steps, waiting to see the outcome of the ceremony. At the sight of the princess, the crowd fell into a stunned silence, but she and Erinn just made their way down the steps as though the crowd weren't there.

The decision that the two had made was a great one, and its effects would show before too much time had passed. As the two rode out of the city on horseback, Alyss cast one last glance back at the grand castle. Even now, the city seemed oddly quiet, as though it was mourning the departure of Alyss and Erinn. Pushing any other worries out of her head, Alyss faced ahead once more, looking to the future that she had chosen.


	2. Chapter 1: The Chosen Path

**Chapter 1: The Chosen Path**

 _The smallest choices are the ones that leave the biggest impact. You may not believe it, but every decision must be made with care, for it is the ones that you write off that matter the most. Make no choice without at least a little hesitation. You will only ever be better off for it._

 _ **One year Later...**_

Alyss crouched in the bushes, watching a brigand stalk by, his face full of greedy malice.

"Come on out, girlie~" he called in a disturbingly sing-song fashion. "We'll treat ya _real_ nice."

Alyss held her breath. They'd underestimated their enemies this time, and it was showing. Most of them had been forced into hiding due to the sheer number of enemies, and the last she had seen of any of her fellow mercenaries was Frelis perching on a roof, and that was a few minutes ago. As the brigand neared the end of the street, he slammed his axe into the side of a building, shattering part of the corner. Immediately after, the panicked whinnying of a horse could be heard from the next street over. With an evil smirk, he started toward the next corner, but he didn't make it far. Alyss watched as Frelis popped up from his hiding place and readied his arrow. After little more than a moment, his arrow sailed through the air, lodging itself in the brigand's skull.

Erinn rushed out of her hiding place, temporarily losing control of her panicking horse. Alyss leaped from her hiding spot and rushed to her aid, joining her just as the remaining brigands surrounded her. Erinn managed to calm her steed in time to keep from trampling her subordinate, and she looked around at the men that had trapped them. Six in total, including the boss.

"Looks like we hit the jackpot, boys," the leader smiled. "Two women, ripe for the taking."

Alyss glanced around at the bandits, failing to hide the fear on her face.

 _Where are they...?_ she wondered silently, worrying about what may have happened to the other two. She could see Frelis from his perch, hesitating. At that moment, he was their only chance, and he was unable to do anything without risking both Alyss and Erinn.

The boss grinned widely, his voice cool and certain. "Don't struggle now. Everything will be much easier if you just come nicely..."

As the circle began to close, Alyss and Erinn both caught sight of silhouettes slinking along the streets towards their position. Hope flared in their chests as they jumped out of their hiding places, catching two brigands off guard and dealing fatal blows before they knew what hit them. Ralen and Kasan stood where the two brigands had once been, their blades drawn. Taking advantage of the confusion, Alyss threw open her Ignis tome and flung a fireball at the boss, with Frelis hitting another in the chest.

The boss dropped to the ground shrieking in pain as Alyss's fire engulfed him, burning away his clothes as well as the hair on his head. The fire extinguished quickly, but the man was left in a weakened heap on the ground, unable to move. The two bandits that hadn't been targeted quickly turned and fled, more concerned for their own lives than that of their companions. Without a word, Kasan stabbed his blade into the chest of the one that had been hit by Frelis's arrow, piercing the man's heart and ensuring that he wouldn't live to terrorize another town.

Erinn turned to the charred leader, her face cold. She didn't even speak as she stared, her glare enough to terrify even Ralen. After verifying that he wouldn't be getting back up, she turned to her subordinates and nodded. "Job well done, Wolves. Let's find the mayor and let him know that we succeeded.

The mayor smiled and shook each mercenary's hand furiously. "Oh, thank the gods! If your group hadn't come along, those bandits would have never left us alone!"

Erinn shook her head. "It was all in a day's work. Think nothing of it."

The mayor shook his head furiously. "No, no. It's an honor! You and your Wolves have become very well known among us village folk! I can't tell you how many stories I've heard of your exploits."

For the first time in months, Alyss could swear that she saw Erinn's cold exterior falter in favor of a more humble one, a side that she had shown only a few times since she and Alyss departed from the capital. Erinn began insisting that no payment was necessary, but the mayor wouldn't hear any of it. "I insist! At the very least, we can offer you fresh food and a place to rest for the night." Finally, Erinn relented and accepted his offer.

"Splendid!" the mayor exclaimed. "Go to the inn and enjoy yourselves while I get everything ready."

Kasan's eyes lit up immediately, and as soon as the mayor had disappeared, he let out a long, drawn out yawn. "An inn means a bar, and a bar means alcohol! I can finally relax."

Ralen rolled his eyes and glared at his old friend. "No going crazy, Kasan. We can't take too much advantage of the generosity that such a small village has to offer, and we can't afford any hangovers. We're always on the job."

The myrmidon pouted and mockingly glared at the mercenary with a groan. "Oh come on, Ralen. You always have to spoil my fun, don't you?"

"You did that yourself when you tried to retire at the age of twenty on a mercenary's wage."

Kasan opened his mouth to retort, but the rest of the group cut off him as they shared a brief laugh at his expense. Erinn smiled and looked at the two men, putting a hand on Kasan's shoulder. "We can afford to relax a little tonight. After today's battle, you've earned it. Now, go on and get to the inn. I want a word with Ralen in private." Kasan didn't waste a single second in departing, hurrying towards the inn. With him gone, Erinn turned to Alyss and Frelis, giving the two younger members a stern look. "And you two. Don't forget that you're still underage. I don't want to hear of you drinking."

Their quick response indicated that Erinn had nothing to worry about, and she sent them on their way.

Alyss walked in silence, pondering the battle. It was easily their biggest undertaking yet, and even with their relaxed attitudes, she could tell that the experience had shaken them. Regardless, they were equally as eager to leave it in the past and forget their worries, if only for a little bit.

Frelis followed the princess, lagging behind by a few feet. Every now and then, he would steal glances at her, a blush on his face. Despite having been with the company for nearly two weeks, he still found himself awkward in her presence. He still remembers how surprised he had been when she appeared before her troop as a mercenary, but that was beside the point. He would have to get used to the idea, but that thought didn't make it any easier.

 **(Initiate Support Conversation C- Alyss and Frelis)**

As he pondered this, he bumped into Alyss, who had turned to look at him. The two of them stumbled backwards, Alyss nearly falling over. Once they'd recovered, Frelis realized his blunder and bowed.

"I-I'm so sorry!" he stammered, panic rising his chest.

Alyss just stared at him, confusion written over his face. "Why are you so sorry? It was me who stopped. I had turned to check on you. You seemed to have something on your mind..."

Frelis looked up, surprised. She was staring at him with worry in her eyes. He slowly returned to a complete standing position and met here gaze. "Oh I... It's just taking some time to get used to treating you differently than your identity would normally call for..."

Alyss looked almost hurt at this and approached him. "I suppose that it would be somewhat awkward, but... I only ask that you do your best to treat me as you would anyone else. I've been a mercenary for a year now. I have more or less turned my back on the life I once lived."

"But... Don't you miss your family?" Frelis inquired, bewilderment in his voice.

Alyss just nodded, a solemn expression replacing her worry. "Of course I do. I lived the first sixteen years of my life with them. But... The Wolves are my family now. Plus, I see them every now and then."

Slowly, a smile crept across Frelis's lips, and he nodded. "I see... I'm sorry for being so awkward around you. I'll do my best to stop from now on."

Alyss returned his smile. "I would very much appreciate that."

 **(End Alyss and Frelis Support C)**

As they started back towards the inn, Alyss heard a voice call her name from somewhere behind them and turned around to find the source. She was greeted by the sight of Ralen running towards her and Frelis, a piece of parchment in his hand. Once he reached them, he held the parchment out to her, waiting for her to take it.

"What's this, Ralen?" Alyss asked, her brow furrowed. "Is everything okay?"

He shook his head. "Our contact in the castle had this delivered to us. Alyss..." He paused for a moment, uncertainty crossing his face. "Alyss... There's been trouble at the castle."

"Kylen has forcibly seized control and claimed his right as King."

* * *

Hey guys! Just a little side note here. I wasn't quite sure how I would include stuff like support conversations, as they only serve the purpose of character development and will happen naturally as I see fit, so I hope this kind of works out. Also, this chapter was a little rushed, so I'm really sorry if the quality suffered. I worked hard to make it as good as I could, but... Anyway! I really hope you at least enjoyed! If there are some things that you think could have worked out better in a certain way, don't hesitate to say so! I would really appreciate the advice.


	3. Chapter 2: Betrayal

**Chapter 2: Betrayal**

 _Do you see now the effects your actions have had? It was thanks to you that this happened. That one little decision led us down this path, and now only disaster awaits us. I would tell you that there's nothing that you can do to stop it, but the look on your face says that you're determined to prove otherwise._ _ ***chuckle***_ _Very well then. Prove me wrong. I await the moment that your recklessness brings your certain doom._

Alyss stared at the man in disbelief, her eyes wide with pure shock and horror. _How...?_ She asked herself, unable to speak. **_How did this happen?_** she insisted, talking to Ralen in her head, her mind assuming that he would hear her thoughts. As she trembled, she finally managed to force the words out of her mouth, though he voice was weak with despair. "H-How...?" She asked Ralen, her eyes pleading with him to reveal that he'd been playing a cruel joke on her. When he made no indication, she continued. "How did this happen...? _Why_ did this happen...?"

Ralen shook his head, thinking of the words that could possibly comfort the young princess at such a moment. "... Our contacts only said that the prince had not been himself for quite some time. Beyond that, we know nothing."

Tears welled in Alyss's eyes, but her anguish was quickly replaced by an uncontrollable fury, one directed at her brother, her brother who had betrayed not only his siblings but his nation as well. As she struggled to gather the words to express everything that she felt at that moment, a loud commotion rang throughout the streets. Even Alyss was torn from her angry trance as she looked around. "What's going on?"

Almost as an answer to her question, a woman mounted on a horse came charging down the street, her robes recognizable as those of a dark mage of Irinia, even from this distance. It didn't take long for Alyss to make out the identity of the woman, and as the horse skidded to a halt in front of the trio, Alyss looked up, only to have her suspicions confirmed.

"Agnes!" she called up to her sister, surprise on her face. "What are you-?"

The young princess was cut off as a whole unit of soldiers came marching around the same corner that Agnes had, and Alyss's heard sunk in her chest once more. She stayed silent for a moment as the soldiers approached before looking up at her sister. "... So it's true then? Kylen really...?"

Agnes's eyes met the ground solemnly, sadness hanging in the air as she did. "It's true, Alyss... I'll... I'll explain soon. But first, we must get out of here. I gathered as many troops as I could. They're a ragtag bunch, but they're trustworthy."

Ralen wasted no time in responding to the news, sending Frelis to find Kasan while he ran off to find Erinn. As they did, Agnes slipped off of her horse, her robes torn in places, failing to hide the fact she and the other soldiers had seen and been through a great struggle just to reach Alyss and her fellow wolves. Agnes rested a hand on her sister's shoulder and stared into her eyes, doing her best to look strong for the younger girl.

"We must hurry," she began. "Kylen's troops are no doubt pursuing us. He wants to ensure that there are none to contest his power, and he will stop at nothing to do so."

Alyss's eyes filled with tears once more, and Agnes moved to comfort her sister, but yet another commotion could be heard from the other side of the village. Despite her want to keep things going, Agnes shook her sister and looked into her eyes.

"Come on," she urged. "We have to at least get out of the village before they get here. I'll send a messenger to alert your friends." When Alyss gave her a quick nod, Agnes smiled. "Now come on! Let's go!" She and Alyss mounted the horse that she had rode in on and charged out of the city, the soldiers that she had brought with her following.

* * *

They gathered some distance away from the village, taking a moment to let everyone catch up. Once all of the soldiers had gathered, Alyss looked around and surveyed the group, panic rising in her chest when she failed to catch sight of her fellow Wolves. "W-Wait! Agnes! Where are-?!"

Almost on cue, Erinn and the others joined the group, emerging from the woods. They were clearly welcoming of the respite, and Frelis and Kasan rested against some nearby trees while Erinn and Ralen joined Alyss and Agnes. Erinn's face reflected that of Alyss and Agnes, as she had been somewhat close to the siblings, but she didn't let her emotions get in the way of what needed to be done, and she looked at Agnes. "What do we do now?"

The princess thought for a moment before looking towards the mountains in the distance, barely visible in the moonlight. "We'll head for Larynzia. That's the only thing we can do for now. We'll need help in fighting off Kylen's forces, and they're closest."

Ralen nodded. "That's a good plan if I've ever heard one. If we waste no time, we should be able to reach the border by sundown the day after tomorrow. That is, of course, assuming that we don't run into any trouble on the way there."

As if called by his words, an arrow sailed out from the trees and lodged itself into his shoulder. He dropped to the ground and tore it from where it had lodged itself, looking at it for a moment before Agnes let out a yell.

" _Ambush!_ " she called out, panic heavy in her voice. "I want all soldiers ready! We'll make our way through the woods and break through their lines! Escape is our absolute priority!" Once all of the soldiers were up and preparing for battle, she called a younger soldier, clearly fresh to the army scene, and began giving her instructions.

"Gather a couple of other soldiers and go with Alyss," she ordered the recuit. "The rest of us will stay here and fend them off."

Alyss stared at her sister in horror and latched onto her sleeve. "Agnes! You can't be serious! Please, you have to come with us!"

Agnes shook her head. "This is the way that it has to be, Alyss. Besides, Lani here is one of the most trustworthy soldiers I know, and she deserves to keep going." She patted the recruit's head, and though nervous, the young girl, who Alyss noted to be about a year younger than Frelis, ran off to find a couple more soldiers to bring with them. With that done, Agnes turned back to Alyss. "Please, Alyss. You must go. Get to Larynzia and get help. I promise you that I'll be fine."

Kasan hurried up and saluted Agnes before turning to Alyss. "Alyss, I found the safest route out of here. I know it's not what you want to hear, but we need to leave. Erinn and the others are already waiting."

Alyss hesitated still, but Agnes looked at her and put her hands on her sister's shoulders. "You must go, Alyss. I promise you that we'll meet again. You have to trust me."

Finally, Alyss relented and nodded. "Very well. I'll go, but as soon as you can, you have to flee as well."

Agnes smiled reassuringly. "That's the plan."

With that, Alyss turned to Kasan and nodded, following him to the others. Erinn, Frelis and the others were waiting, with an axe-wielding man around Kasan's age supporting the wounded Ralen. Erinn surveyed the group, noting the recruit, the axe-wielder and a shaman that had joined them, before giving the order to move. Thanks to Agnes's distraction, they met little resistance, though Kasan and Frelis made short work of any stragglers.

Alyss looked back towards where they had left Agnes, worry filling her chest once more. She shook her head furiously, telling her to trust in her sister's strength, and turned her focus once more to the path ahead. It was a long journey to the border, and it would be even longer with what lay in wait for them, so she had to remain strong for everyone. Even still, she couldn't shake the feeling that something far worse awaited them in the near future.


	4. Chapter 3: River of Sorrow

Hey guys! Just a brief little thing before I get this chapter going. I really hope you guys are enjoying this as much as I'm enjoying writing it. Please leave feedback whenever you can so that I can make this as enjoyable as I can for you guys. Obviously I won't change everything to fit everyone's tastes, but minor change recommendations are _very_ welcome.

Anyway! With that, I would like to share a little, basic info on Agnes and the soldiers that accompanied the Wolves. Agnes, Alyss's sister, is a Druid and actually will not be joining the group for some time. Or will she ever? c: Anyway. The other new members gave me some trouble, as I had to think of what the Wolves lacked and what I could give them in order to balance things a little better. Luckily, that wasn't _too_ hard. Lani is a Recruit, and while she won't be the most effective fighter for the Wolves at first, she is their first Lance user. The Axe wielder, whom I've christened Lionel, is a Fighter. I picked Fighter for the same reason I picked Recruit, though Lani also served to be a friend to the fellow newbie Frelis. Finally, the Shaman, Linette, while not playing a direct role in the story, does serve the indirect purpose of telling more about Irinia, which will be revealed in either this chapter or in one of the upcoming ones. Also, starting this chapter, I will be attempting to make the chapters longer.

Welp, I'm done, so let's get back to the story!

* * *

 **Chapter 3: River of Sorrow**

 _Do not let your sorrow consume you, girl. Once it does, it will all be over. There will be many who will try to drown you, but you must fight it. You must fight them all. Chaos shall reign should you fail, and you will lose far more than you currently have. I'm only trying to help you here, so it would be in your best interest to heed my words._

 _Who am I, you ask? ***chuckle*** Let's just say I'm a friend. We shall meet one day. For now, stare straight ahead, for the future awaiting you is far more important._

Erinn hopped down from her horse and turned back to help Ralen off. Once he was safely on the ground, she helped him over to the nearest tree and rested him against the trunk. As soon as he was sitting, she pulled back the cloth around the wound in his shoulder and began inspecting it. As she did, her face slowly darkened. Ralen had no problem in seeing her expression, and it made him close his eyes in a stressed sadness.

"Don't sugarcoat it, Erinn," he stated simply. "If a healer is making that kind of face, it can't be good."

Erinn looked at him with a surprised expression before casting her eyes downward and shaking her head. "I... You just need to avoid using that shoulder, Ralen. It's nothing too serious. I'll patch it up best as I can." Without waiting for his response, she picked up her staff and raised it to his shoulder, concentrating. Ralen watched her, unsure of what to say. Her words clearly hadn't been chosen carefully, as they showed some of the lie behind them.

"Erinn," Ralen insisted. "How bad is it?" When she said nothing, he took a deep breath. " _Erinn._ This is something that I must know. _What is wrong with my shoulder?_ "

She lowered her staff and stared at the shoulder, unsure of what to say. After a few moments of silence, just when Ralen was ready to give up on waiting for an answer, she finally responded and looked him in the eye.

"It's nothing _too_ serious," she insisted, her tone somewhat reassuring. "But... The tendon there was damaged. Fighting with this injury could lead to it only getting worse."

Ralen's gaze hardened. "I know you're worried, Erinn, but I do foolish things by trade. It comes with the trade. Something like this won't stop me from helping you all when you need me most."

Erinn at first opened her mouth the protest, but she decided it pointless and instead gave him a smile before standing and heading off to check if anyone else had been injured. Ralen stared after her, the doubt that he had been hiding from the leader ever-present in his mind, nagging him that it was a sign of what was to come, but he shook it off quickly enough, not wanting to lose confidence at such a key time.

As Erinn wandered the clearing, she saw that Frelis and Kasan were nowhere to be found. She grumbled quietly, irritated that they would go off without telling her, though she didn't dwell on it, as she trusted the two of them to return quickly and in one piece.

She turned away from where she'd expected to see them and scanned the clearing for Alyss. When she caught sight of the princess and saw that worry was heavily plaguing the girl, she decided that an emotional wound of such great size would best be treated before any minor physical ones. Erinn quickly joined her friend and sat next to her, doing her best to meet the girl's averted eyes. After a brief moment, Alyss sighed and met Erinn's eyes with a weak smile.

"I suppose I must look a sight," she attempted to joke, though it clearly fell flat, even with her. She cast her eyes downward once more, dread filling her chest yet again. "I'm sorry, Erinn... I just... Agnes could be dead... I also have no idea where the others are... And then knowing that they could all be dead by... By _Kylen's_ hands... It..." Tears welled up in her eyes once more as she did her best to come to terms with all that had happened in the last day. Not knowing what she could possibly say to help Alyss, Erinn instead hugged the girl in an attempt to console her. Luckily, Alyss relaxed some and gave a weak "Thank you..." before turning away, signifying that she preferred to be alone at that moment in time. Respecting the girl's wishes, Erinn stood and left to check on someone else.

She stopped in the center of the clearing once more, surveying those that were present. After some pondering, she decided to check on the Shaman next, figuring that it would be best to get to know the newcomers by name at the very least.

The Shaman turned around before Erinn had so much as gotten halfway to them, catching Erinn off guard. The Shaman looked Erinn over, their eyes and mouth covered by their hood and collar respectively. Once they finished their once over of Erinn, they removed the hood that hid their eyes, revealing a woman that was only a couple of year older than Alyss. Her fierce green eyes betrayed her quiet demeanor, and her red hair flowed down into the depths of her robes. After a moment of locking eyes with Erinn, she extended a hand and her eyes gleamed amiably.

(Initiate **Erinn and Linette Support C)**

"So you must be Erinn," the Shaman remarked, her tone somewhat monotonous. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I'd heard about how you left. Not much to it, but your reasoning was sound and respectable. I'm glad to be working with you now."

Erinn took her hand, and the Shaman shook it. Once again, the Shaman's eyes gleamed amiably. "My name is Linette."

Erinn nodded, placing her hand at her side once more. "Well met, Linette. What made you decide to follow Agnes and not stay with Kylen, if you don't mind my asking?"

Linette kept her eyes locked with Erinn's, her blank stare unsettling Erinn a little. "I have served with both Alyss and Agnes in magic research. Both are very kind people, as Prince Kylen once was. If the situations had been reverse, I would have gone with him, too. But sadly, there is no alternative, so I must go with those who remain who they once were."

Erinn let Linette's words sink in. She found them somewhat surprising and welcomed them, feeling a kind of respect for the Shaman. A smile crept across Erinn's face and she nodded. "Well, I'm think you'll do just fine here, Linette. I'm very glad to have you with us, and I hope you'll stay with us even after this is all over."

Linette nodded. "I don't know about that much, but I will certainly make the most of what time I do have with you. I thank you kindly for welcoming me like this. Now, I do not mean to be rude, but I would like to return to my quiet contemplation of these events."

Erinn nodded. "Ah... Yes. Of course. I apologize for interrupting you. I'll leave you be, then. Goodbye."

"Goodbye," Linette responded, bowing slightly before turning back to the forest, remaining silent even when Erinn stared at her for about a minute.

(End **Erinn and Linette Support C** )

Erinn was about to go speak to another of the newcomers when Frelis and Kasan came running into the clearing, urgency written all over them. Kasan ran up to Erinn and gave her a brief salute before speaking.

"Erinn..." the Myrmidon panted, trying to catch his breath. "Just south of here... There's a river. It's... You just have to see for yourself. Get everyone and follow us immediately."

Erinn stared at him, her eyes full of worry, before nodding. "Right. Get Ralen. He's not in the best shape, so please help him out. And Frelis," she added, turning to the young archer. "Go with Alyss. She could really use some help right now, and I think that you're the best one for the job." Frelis opened his mouth to protest, his face turning a deep red, but he just nodded and ran off to get her. With that, Erinn went to collect the rest of them, and they all set out for the river.

* * *

Erinn stared in shock at the scene before them. Countless bodies littered the shore, their drained blood running into the river and tinting it red. None of the bodies were those of soldiers, only villagers. Erinn covered her mouth, heaving slightly, though nothing came. Arrows protruded from the backs of many, and others had been viciously cut open as they ran. The rocks around the river had become completely soaked by the blood of the villagers, and a tattered flag of the Irinian royal emblem protruded from the ground near a group of them.

Alyss dropped to her knees, her hands on her face as she fought back a breakdown. _Kylen... Why...?_ she begged of her brother. _Why...?! How could you do this?!_ As she thought this, she let out a bloodcurdling scream of despair that ran all of the Wolves' blood cold. None of them could even begin to imagine what could have happened here, nor did that want to. All they cared about was the why and making Kylen pay for what he'd done there.

Ralen looked at Erinn, his eyes full of sadness. "I... I can't believe that this has happened..."

She shook her head. "None of us can... None of us imagined any one person could ever be capable of ordering such a horrible atrocity... Oh Kylen... What happened to you...?"

Almost on cue, the sound of a large amount of approaching footsteps rang out through the silence. Erinn whirled around to check, though she couldn't see the source, nor did she need to. An army was on its way, and it was close to its target. Erinn's heart sank in her stomach. _It can't be..._ she pleaded silently to whatever Gods could possibly be watching over them and let this happen. _Did Agnes...?_

Without waiting for an answer, she turned to the Wolves. "Wolves! We can't waste any more time here! _Move!"_

Frelis helped Alyss to her feet, though the broken princess struggled to so much as stand, and they thus lagged behind. Once everyone had gotten halfway across the river, the army that had been pursuing them emerged from the forest. As expected, they bore the flag of Irinia. Seeing this, panic rose in Erinn's chest. "Move, everyone, move! If we can just get across-"

Her words were cut off when the leader, a mounted mage clad in armor, let out a call.

"Stop where you are, Wolves," he ordered. They all hesitated just long enough to hear the drawing of countless bows, even over the flow of the river. Slowly, they all turned around, only to be greeted by the sight of a full unit of archers facing them, every single bow drawn. The leader dismounted his horse and approached the edge of the water, his eyes meeting Erinn's briefly before he turn to Alyss. He stared at her, his eyes cold. As they stared at each other, her eyes widened as she recognized him.

"G-General Grayson..." She uttered his name weakly, a whole new level of despair setting in. "So you follow my brother in all of this...?"

Grayson nodded slightly, though something in his face suggested that he had other intentions. "I do. Worry not, though, Alyss. I'm here only for you. If you come peaceably, I will do nothing to harm your friends."

Alyss just stared at him, tears in her eyes. "W-was it you...? Was it you that killed all these people...?"

Grayson shook his head. "I would never harm innocents without provocation, which is why I also have no intention of harming you or your friends so long as you don't resist." When she hesitated, he extended a hand to her. "You knew me well at the academy, Alyss. Why must anything change now?"

After a glance at each of the Wolves, even the newcomers, she began the trek towards the shore. Erinn reached out to her, her eyes wide. " _Alyss!_ Don't do it! **_Alyss!_** "

Alyss approached Grayson and met his eyes. Even now, even among all the carnage and betrayal, his pale blue eyes seemed kind and trustworthy. Just as it seemed he might kill her himself, he smiled. "And that's all I had to know."

A look of bewilderment crossed every face among the Wolves as the archers lowered their bows. Grayson stepped back from Alyss and extended his arms outward. "As I said, I would never harm an innocent, and anyone who sacrifices themselves for the sake of others does not deserve the fate that currently lay in wait for them." He put his arms to his sides once more and bowed to Alyss, his voice going soft. "You and your sister truly are good people, Alyss."

* * *

That night, they decided to set up camp on the opposite shore. The experience had left them all mentally exhausted, and Alyss had already gone to sleep. Ralen sat in silence by the fireside, staring at the dancing flames, silently thanking whatever force out there had kept them all safe that day. He thought back to when Alyss had actually given herself up and sighed. "That girl is just full of surprises isn't she...?"

"You can say that again."

Ralen turned to see Erinn standing a few feet away, a smile on her face. "Do you mind if I join you, Ralen?"

The mercenary shook his head. "Not at all. Have a seat."

She nodded and lifted the skirt of her robe, plopping down next to him. She stared into the fire with him, the two of them spending a few minutes in silence.

(Initiate **Erinn and Ralen Support MAX** )

"You know, Ralen..." Erinn began, her voice soft and hesitant. "When I left the castle that day... When I first met you... I never once imagined that I'd be sitting here like this, recovering from what is easily the most traumatizing experience in any of our lives. And yet, here we are."

Ralen nodded. "Here we are..." The two of them fell into silence once more, staring into the flame and enjoying the quiet. After another couple of minutes of silence, he turned to Erinn, a small smile on his face. "There's something that I've been meaning to talk to you about, Erinn."

She blinked and turned to him, a worried look on her face. "Oh...? Is everything all right?"

He nodded. "Everything is just fine. I just wanted to thank you for taking me in, even though I had been fighting on the opposing side."

Erinn laughed and shook her head. "Alyss is the one you should be thanking. She may be a little too trusting sometimes, but it's times like that that I can't help but be thankful that we do have someone like that. Plus, it's somewhat refreshing to have a couple of innocent faces among all of the hardened ones."

Ralen nodded. "That it is. It makes me know that in the end, it's all worth it just to see people like them smiling at the end of the day." Once again, the two of them fell into silence. After a couple more minutes, Ralen spoke once more. "I guess... What I'm saying is... I just wanted you to know, that no matter what happens in the coming days, I will always be grateful to you and Alyss for taking me in that day."

Erinn opened her mouth to chastise him for talking in such a way, but she knew his words to be true. In the end, she gave him a solemn smile and nodded. "It's been good to know you, Ralen. I just hope you'll never forget us, no matter what."

He returned the smile. "Never."

(End **Erinn and Ralen Support MAX** )


	5. Chapter 3x: The Lost Duchy

**Chapter 3x: The Lost Duchy**

As the sun dipped its head just below the horizon, the forest began to fall silent. Dusk settled over the trees like a blanket, the already dim forest floor quickly losing its remaining visibility. The young man within its depths looked around with a sneer, angry for allowing himself to get stuck like this.

He stopped, signaling to his horse to do the same, and dropped his pack. He reached into its depths and pulled out one of his few remaining torches. With another grimace at the dwindling number of supplies, he pulled out a dry bundle of cloth, wrapped it around the head of the stick, and set it ablaze. With the flames illuminating his surroundings sufficiently well, he let out a sigh of relief and retrieved his pack before urging his companion to follow.

The two continued onward, walking for another short while, before the young man stopped and looked back at his horse. Even in the dim light, the exhaustion was clear in the companion's eyes. He gave the horse a soft smile and a gentle pet along its snout, whispering some reassuring words. The horse gave a snort of acknowledgement, and the young man chuckled before urging it forward once more.

Much to the relief of the young man, it wasn't too long before they finally reached the edge of the forest. He poked his head through the trees and looked up at the sky, hoping to get a general idea of how late it was. The moon was high in the sky now, but not yet at its peak. He let out an exhausted sigh and turned back to his horse with a smile.

"Well, girl," he began, not bothering to hide his own exhaustion anymore, "we can rest here on the tree line. No more hurry to get out of the forest."

The horse whinnied in reply, and the young man began to set about making the area comfortable. Being so close to so much foliage, he didn't bother with a campfire, instead just setting up a place for his companion to rest comfortably. Once the horse had settled in, he leaned his head against her, letting out another sigh before they both drifted off to sleep.

Not two hours later, the young man shot up, alert. He wasn't sure what, yet, but something was wrong. He listened carefully, trying to find what might have startled him, and sure enough, voices could be heard screaming not too far off. He gently nudged the horse behind him, earning a disgruntled snort from it as she looked at him. He stood and took her lead, urging it to stand. Eventually, after a couple of minutes of stubborn protests from the horse, he managed to get his companion to stand. He didn't bother to fix up the area, only making sure that he had everything before leading the horse along the treeline.

It wasn't but a couple of minutes before the two came across a scene that caught the young man off-guard.

A young woman, not more than three years younger than he, stood back to back with a female knight, with the pair surrounded by a number of bandits. The woman, dressed very elegantly, with her clothing very clearly signifying royalty. She wore a soft, white overcoat with tails that extended to her knees with a light-blue undershirt and complementary bottoms, the outfit clearly having been designed to allow her to be able to fight. She raised what seemed to be a rapier to the bandits, taking a stance similar to one that would be used by a fencer. The knight kept her shield in front at all times, her lance behind her.

The man that seemed to be the leader stepped forward, a wide grin on his face. "Well now, you two have certainly given us quite a bit of trouble. I dunno what a princess such as yourself was doing out so late, but I'm afraid your luck has run out."

The young woman grimaced, directing her sword at the leader, though this only caused him to laugh mockingly.

"Don't give me that, sweetheart," he taunted. "Come along nicely, and I'll make sure that you're returned to your family... Just as soon as they pay ransom." The rest of the bandits roared with laughter as the leader grinned widely at the woman and the knight.

The young man watched from the trees, his eyes widening in surprise. "Princess?"

The leader started to approach the woman, though the knight quickly jumped in front, lance aimed straight at the leader's stomach and ready to impale him at a moment's notice. The man mockingly threw his arms up and took a step back. "Whoa, whoa! Sorry!" With one of his raised arms, he signaled to the men behind the women to take the supposed princess while the two were distracted.

In the trees, the young man decided that he'd waited long enough. He quickly mounted the horse and retrieved a bow and quiver of arrows from a sack on the horse's side. "Time to move!" He burst from the trees and place an arrow straight between the eyes of one of the approaching the bandits and nailing another in the shoulder.

" _What?!_ " the leader exclaimed furiously. "Reinforcements?! How?!"

He took a place behind the princess, bow at the ready. The princess looked up at him, surprise all over her face. "Wha-? Who are you?"

The young man shook his head. "No time to talk! Right now, we fight!"

The leader was now red in the face, unable to contain his fury. "Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...! No more pussyfooting! Kill the man and the knight and get the damn girl!"

The knight turned, a fierce expression on her face, to the young man who sat atop his horse, bow drawn, . "Look. I don't know who you are, but we need your help. Can we count on you?"

The man nodded, returning her expression. "Of course."

All at once, the bandits swarmed the trio. The princess was the first to act, drawing back her rapier. Much to the surprise of the young man, the blade started glowing. With a closer look at the blade, he realized why it seemed so strange. It had a thicker and wider blade with an actual edge. She ducked under the first bandit's strike and slashed across his chest. The blade only grazed him, but as he recoiled, she raised her sword and brought it down with in an arc. Before the bandit could react, he was blasted with a powerful burst of light magic, knocking him off of his feet.

"Hey! Pay attention!"

The voice of the knight called him back to the situation at hand as she very narrowly blocked a blow that was aimed directly at his horse. He shook his head, pushing the sight out of his head. He could ask about it later. For now...

He nodded his thanks and apology to the knight and turned around, placing an arrow in the bandit's shoulder. Once the bandit was recoiling from the injury, his horse raised up with a furious whinny and brought its hooves down on his chest, shattering many of the bones in his rib cage. The knight gave him a quick nod before shoving another bandit backwards and bringing her lance up for the finishing blow. Just before she could bring it down, the bandit lashed out with his axe, catching her shield arm. Despite the pain, she stabbed her lance into his stomach and tore it out, watching him fall before dropping to the ground herself. The young man quickly dispatched the bandit that tried to take advantage of her moment of weakness, earning a thanks from the knight.

As this played out, the princess managed to dispatch the other cronies, leaving only the leader. The leader glared at them and drew his own blade, pointing it straight at the princess's savior. "As always, if you want a job done right, do it yourself. You were better off leaving well enough alone."

The young man turned to meet the leader eye to eye. "If you had just left the girl alone, maybe you would have returned to whatever hole you call a home." Seeing their intention to fight one on one, the princess hurried over to check on the knight.

"Grrrrrrr... _Damn you!"_ He charged the young man, pure bloodlust in his eyes. The horse dodged his strike easily enough, and continued to do so for the next few strikes, doing nothing but teasing him.

"Just... _Die already!_ " the leader screamed, going for one last strike. Before he could get too far, however, the young man quickly slid off of his horse and brought his hand up, meeting the leader's shocked eyes as an arrow tore straight through his chest. He stumbled backwards, but the young man wasn't done. He leaped onto the leader and plunged the arrow straight into the bandit's heart. The leader's eyes went dull as the young man stood, panting. As the adrenaline passed, he dropped to a knee and gripped his shoulder as red began to stain his clothes.

The princess ran over to him, kneeling down beside him. "Are you okay?"

He nodded and smiled at her. "Yes. He just managed to get me with that last strike. I'll be fine."

The knight joined them and extended the hand of her uninjured arm. The young man took it and stood, keeping one hand on his shoulder. The knight met his eyes, exhaustion as clear in hers as in his. "Thank you so much for that. I don't know what we would have done without you."

He shook his head. "I couldn't stand by and let you two be killed or taken to be ransomed."

She nodded and was about to say more when the princess stepped forward.

"Well, I do believe that introductions are in order?" the princess suggested. The knight and the young man nodded, and she took a deep breath. "I am Ophelia, youngest princess of Larynzia. You have my sincerest gratitude, sir..."

"Seldin, milady," he informed her. Ophelia nodded in response.

"Seldin. It's a pleasure. And this is..." she started, trying to introduce the knight at her side, but the knight raised a hand to stop her, clearly preferring to introduce herself.

The knight bowed her head in thanks once more to Seldin and met his eyes. "I am Nadine, Princess Ophelia's trusted retainer. I thank you again for saving us."

Seldin shook his head. "It was nothing." He then turned to Ophelia, curiosity gleaming in his eyes. "So... You're really Princess Ophelia?"

The princess nodded. "Yes, and in case you still have any doubts..." She reached into her coat and pulled out a Larynzian royal signet. Seldin nodded.

"Sure enough. In that case, it was most certainly good that I came along when I did."

Ophelia nodded. "Yes..." She then paused for a moment, her face twisting to that of confusion.

Seldin looked at her, not sure what was going on. "Is something the matter, Lady Ophelia?"

She shook her head. "Please, just call me Ophelia. As my savior, I think you've earned that right. But... No. Nothing's wrong. Just... The name Seldin. It seems so familiar."

Nadine chimed in now, hoping to clear things up. "Indeed it does, milady. If I am not mistaken, it was the name of one of Duke Trian's sons."

Ophelia's face darkened at this revelation. "Ah yes... That's right..."

Seldin just stared at them as they fell quiet, breaking the silence after a few moments. "Y-yes. You would be correct. I am Seldin Trian, son of the late Duke Trian of the fallen Trian Duchy."

Both Ophelia's and Nadine's eyes widened at the revelation, and Ophelia approached him, pure shock in her voice. "W-what?! But I thought that no one survived!"

Seldin nodded. "That is the common belief, yes, and I've had to keep it secret in order to stay alive. My father disguised one of our servants as me and sent me away, disguised as a nomad, during the night. Ever since, I've made sure that it was never known that I survived.

Ophelia looked away. "I see... Will you ever return to take it back?"

"No," Seldin stated simply.

"W-What? Why not?"

"It would only cause more trouble, and honestly, I have no wish to rule. I've enjoyed my time in isolation."

"I... I see..." With that, Ophelia exchanged a glance with Nadine before bowing her head to Seldin in one more show of gratitude. "Well, thank you again for your help. I'm afraid we must be off, now."

"What?" Seldin questioned, surprise clear in his voice. "Where are you off to in such a hurry?"

Ophelia gave him a determined smile, catching him off guard.

"We're going to join with the Irinian mercenary band known as Erinn's Wolves."


End file.
